HANOI: Malaysia can learn from the experience of Vietnam which has been able to redevelop the country after it was almost destroyed by French colonialism and American direct involvement, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said as a result of the destruction, many Vietnamese people had to flee the country, including to Malaysia, due to the chaos in at home, which was not only unsafe but also severely affected the economy.

He said Malaysia was aware of how Vietnamese who fled the country, known as 'boat people', suffered because of economic problems and sudden changes.

"However, as we are aware, Vietnam has been making progress in a short period of time, as an amazing economic power and among the most successful developing countries in the world.

"This is, firstly, due to the unification of North and South Vietnam, and the focus of the people of that country is unity, with the clear goal of developing the country and safeguarding the people's well-being," he said.

Anwar said this at a press conference with the Malaysian media here before departing after his two-day visit to Vietnam.

The Prime Minister and his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail arrived in Hanoi Thursday afternoon for the official visit at the invitation of his counterpart Pham Minh Chinh.

Anwar said that in the 1990s, Vietnam relied a lot on and learned from Malaysia how the country was developed, especially in the financial and banking sectors but Vietnam is now ahead of Malaysia in several sectors.

"However, because Vietnam is united, they are focused on the economy and you also know that there are some strict measures on issues of governance and anti-corruption.

"This means that governance is prioritised, getting rid of influences which can weaken the country," he said. – Bernama